Procurement experts 'in greater demand'

Demand for procurement experts is on the rise in the UK, according to new figures.

Research published by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) showed that procurement and supply chain vacancies rose sharply in the first six months of 2011.

Vacancies for procurement officers have risen by 200 per cent, with senior buyer roles increasing by 110 per cent and jobs for procurement managers up 75 per cent.

The organisation said this trend reflects the fact that procurement is increasingly viewed as a high-level strategic function within companies.

Chief executive of the CIPS David Noble said many companies reacted to the economic downturn by deciding to "expand parts of their operations that ultimately help them to reduce costs and ensure the sustainability of future growth".

He added that "recent scrutiny of government procurement strategies has led to more strategic employment in the sector".

Despite these findings, research published by the CIPS in October claimed that many FTSE 100 companies are still not paying enough attention to supply chain issues.

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